Orthodontic adjusting tool



Jan. 23, J. A. LINDE ORTHODONTIC ADJUSTING TOOL Filed Feb. 5, 1956 FIG. 1. Fi ,6; FIGQL IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 23, 1940 2,18 1 7. 'ORTHODONT'IC ADJUSTING TOOL JohnyA Lindie, Brooklyn, N. Y. 1

Application February 5, 1936, Serial No. v InGermany April 5,1935

.1 Claim. 01132-66).

This invention relates to orthodontic appliance adjusting tools of the type which may be' made in the form of special pliers-or the like.

The main object of my invention is to provide atool of the character indicated which may. be

conveniently used in order to readily assemble and adjust orthodontic appliances and parts therefor inaccurate predetermined positions without any great exertion or danger of damaging such parts.

Another object is to make it possible to aspatient using such appliances.

Other objects and the various advantages inherent in the nature, construction and use of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter as this specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part hereof,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a tool in the form of a pair of pliers made according to my invention and embodying its salient features in practical form.

Fig. 2 is a fragment of a rear elevation of the same tool.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said tool.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tool in operative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the tool also in operative position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View of certain details taken in section on line VI-VI in Figure 1.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts.

In the practice of orthodontia, it is quite usual to employ arch wires to form the main frames of appliances adapted to be introduced into a patients mouth, and to attach to such arch wires various members, such as for example springs and the like, for exerting pressure against certain teeth to shift the same. While such orthodontic appliances do not form any actual part of the present invention, they do nevertheless constitute a very pertinent background for the same, and. it will thus perhaps be profitable to at least refer to these devices in order to more particularly pointout the sphere of utility inherent in the invention. v v

Hence, appliances in the form of arch wires have usually been, either bent into a form which includes-projections adapted to bear against the teeth, or provided with additional parts or members by soldering or brazing the same in position upon the wires. Other expedients not necessary to discuss here have also been used.

However, in connection with a type of appliances wherein the additional parts or actuating members intended to act upon the teeth are attached by friction sleeves, it has been found to be highly useful and profitable to use such members in a form which rendered it possible to attach, detach or shift said members with respect to the arch wire involved.

In order to manipulate the acting members or parts of the appliances of the type utilizing friction sleeves as just indicated, a certain form of tool has been designed, which in actual practice has proven to be exceedinglyeflicient for the purpose and now forms the subject of the present invention.

Thus, in the practice of my invention a special pair of pliers or like tool, generally indicated at I, is provided with a pair of opposite bifurcated jaws, 2 and 3, having a presented broad opening or slot indicated at 4, while the handles, 5 and 6, which are pivoted or fulcrumed at I, serve to open or close said jaws.

Upon one side of both said jaws a recessed or counterbored portion is formed in halves at 8 and 9 extending fromthe rear edges of the jaws so as to present relatively narrow edges in opposed relation, one of said rear edges at Ill being beveled so as to substantially form a cutting edge. The other opposite edge at II of jaw 2 is formed with a semicircular indentation 52 for an appliance latch or member and a smaller indentation l3 spaced from the same, while the beveled edge ID has a pair of cuts or indentations [4 which register in a certain opposing relation with indentation l2 of the edge I I. The bifurcated portions are provided on their interior edges upon both sides of the opening 4, with recessed edges forming shoulders similar to |5-l 5 as illustrated in Figure 6.

In Figure 4 one use of the present invention is illustrated, an appliance or arch wire l6 being shown in fragmentary form with a friction sleeve I! mounted upon the same in initial position, while a spring or other part I8 is also shown initially disposed upon said arch wire. When the one jaw of the tool I is placed in position behind the sleeve l1, while the other jaw is caused to be engaged at projection 19 upon member 18, with both jaws straddling the arch wire, it is manifestly but necessary to draw the handles 5 and 6 of the tool toward each other in order to force the sleeve H to approach and finally engage against projection l9. The operation just described is a type of assembling by forcing friction sleeves to ride up upon and wedge in place various members which are properly tapered so as to provide an increasing frictional and wedging efiect.

When the sleeve has been forced home into its proper position, it can readily be locked in the intended position by utilizing certain other facilities of the invention. Thus, the tool can be applied so as to grip the sleeve l1 between the inner edges Ill and ll of the jaws with the sleeve seating in the indentation |2,whi1e the projection portion of edge l8 disposed between the indentation l4id upon said latter edge engages upon the sleeve. If the handles 5 and 6 are then forced together the sleeve I! will be indented even as indicated at 2-3 in Figure 4, the resulting indentation properly registered with a corresponding indentation of cut in the arch wire, the two outs or indentation M-M along edge 8 providing proper clearance for portions of the sleeve l1,

while the latter is being indented in order to fix the same in position upon said arch wire. The other indentation 13 upon edge H of jaw 2 serves to manipulate half round spring arch wire or other parts.

Obviously, variations in the construction of my invention may be resorted to and certain features may be used without others within the scope of the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

An orthodontic appliance adjusting tool of the character described, comprising in a pair of pliers having a pair of opposite jaws, both jaws being recessed upon one side, a beveled edge upon one of said jaws and a fiat portion upon the corresponding opposite part of the other jaw, there being a transverse recess in the flat portion upon the one jaw adapted to receive an orthodontic arch wire therein and a pair of spaced clearance recesses serving as clearance portions upon said beveled edge on the other jaw determining the length of a portion of the beveled edge which is located opposite the transverse recess in said flat portion on said one jaw.

JOHN A. LINDE. 

